Grain-meter.



. PATENTED JULY?, 1908. M. ZIMMERMAN.

GRAIN METER.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.17,1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 892,492. PATBNTED JULY 7, 1908..

M. ZIMMERMAN.

GRAIN METER. APPLICATION FILED 00117, 1907.

MARTIN ZIMMERMAN, OF JEROMEVILLE, OHIO.

GRAIN-METER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 7,1908.

Application filed october 17, 1907. serial No. 397,821.

To all whom it may cof/werfe.'

Be it known that I, MARTIN ZIMMERMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jeromeville, in the county of Ashland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Meters, of which the following is a speciiication.

Wy invention relates to improvements in grain-meters, and, more particularly, to that class or type which are adapted to automatically measure out certain charges or units of measure by the weight thereof as distinguished from quantity or volume.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a generally-improved device of this class which will accurately and rapidly weigh the grain as it is delivered from the separator, elevator, or other source of supply and discharge it into a sack, bin, wagon-box or other receiving` or storing receptacle, and which will be much better adapted to its intended purposes than any other device of this class with which I am acquainted.

' With these and other ends in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts, hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure l, is an elevation ofthe face or registering side of the improved grain-meter in its normal position. Fig. 2, a view of the front side of the same showing manner of attaching to the side of a thresher or grain-separating machine. Fig. 3, a front view of the recording dialdisk mechanism and casing attached to the fulcrum end of the poised yoke-lever, the front plate of casing being removed in this figure and in Fig. l, for the purpose of clearer illustration of the parts. Fig. 4, a horizontal sectional viewcf the same, with attached lever, showing leverlulcrum trunnion and lower end ofl movable bar, carried by grain-drum, for operating cutoff-valves in feeding-hopper. Fig. 5, a detail view of the lower portion of the main hopper provided with valved delivery-chutes or sacking spouts. Fig. 6, a view of the face side of the grain-meter, the revoluble graindrum or receptacle being in its tilted position, a portion of the front wall of the depending feeding or throat portion of the feeding-hopper being broken away for the purpose of illustrating the oscillating cut-offvalves mounted thereon. Fig. 7, a transverse sectional view of the intermittentlyrevolving grain-drum or receptacle and the lower and upper portions of the feeding and delivery hoppers, respectively, the parts being shown in the position they occupy just prior to the depression or tilting of the graindrum and the initial revolving movement of the same. Fig. 8, a similar'view of the same, the grain-drum being at its initial filling position, the last portion of the preceding charge or measure passing out. Fig. 9, a similar view of the same, the grain-drum or receptacle being in its tilted and initial revolving and discharging position, the cut-oif-valves in the lower portion of the feeding-hopper being closed to cut off the ingress of the grain while the grain-drum is being revolved. Fig. l0, a detail view of the cut-oi'I-valves and the operating mechanism attached thereto. Fig. 11, a plan view, on a reduced scale, of the poised yoke-lever or scale-beam and adliustably-mounted counter-weight carried thereby.

Similar numerals of reference designate like parts throughout all the figures of the drawings.

The improved grain-meter comprises a feeding-hopper or trough, a grain-charge receiving and delivery hopper, and an intermediate intermittently-revolving poised graindrum or receptacle.

The upper feeding-hopper or trough 1, is provided with a depending feeding or throat portion 2, forming an inlet-opening adapted to directA or feed the grain into the graindrum or receptacle, as hereinafter described, and, in the present instance, said hopperor trough is open at one end to receive the end of the grain delivery-trough 3, (see Fig. 2) of the grain-separating-machine to the side of which the meter is attached, as shown in Fig. 2, and hereinafter described.

The main body portion 4, of the grain-charge receiving and delivery hopper is substantially semi-cylindrical in form to receive and take over one half of the grain-drum when the latter is in its depressed and revolving discharging-position, and is provided with a depending portion 5, forming an outlet or dischargeopening 6, for the charge of grain received from the grain-drum or receptacle above.

A grain-charge delivery chute 7, is removably-mounted beneath the depending-portion 5, of the grain-charge delivery-hopper and is secured at its upper edges about the lower edges of said depending-portion 5, by means of a series of bolts and nuts 8. The lower outer side of the delivery-chute 7, is provided with branching delivery-chutes or sacliingspouts 9, provided with a common swinging cut-off or diverting valve-plate 10, and operating-handle 11, whereby the grain may be alternately diverted 'from one sackingspout to the other. The outer ends o'l' the spouts 9, are preferably provided with iron brace-'f ames 12, and are braced with respect to the hopper body portion 4, by means of a pair of outwardly and downwardly-extending iron straps or brace-members 13, the lower ends being turned over and about forming heads 14, over which may be secured the upper edges ofthe sacks by means of the movable cam-lever sack-securing members 15. The upper ends of the brace-members 13, are secured to the projecting ends 16, of the heads of the ho )per 4, by means of bolts and nuts 17, said bo ts and nuts also securing the lower ends of a second pair of iron bracestraps or members 18. rl`he upper ends of the brace-straps or members 18, are secured to the under side of the ends of the cross-bars or members 19, supporting the rear ends of the feeding-hopper or trough. 1, and extending over and secured to the upper side of a lioriZontal-beam 2O (see Fig. 2) of the grainseparating-machine The upper attached ends of the brace-members 18, together with attaching` straps or clips 21, below, securing the upper rear sides of the hopper body 4, to the upper edge of a `hori'/,ontal-board 22 (see Fig. 2) 'form the attaching and supporting means for securing the meter to the side of the separator body. The 'feediiig-hop per or trough 1, is secured to and supported above the hopper-body 4, at its rear, by means of a pair of vertical iron-straps 23, and, at its front, by means of brace-bars or rods 24. 'l he face of the hopper body 4, is provided with an integral substantially semicircular guide-member 25, carrying an inwardly-projecting friction guide-roller 26. The heads of the hopper body 4, are also provided with lever fulcrum-trunnions 27, (see Fig. 4) taking into and supporting the respective members of a poised yoke-lever or scalebeam 2S, carrying an adjustably-mounted weight 29, adapted to counter-balance the weight of the gram-drum with its attachments, and the desired weight of the graincharge to be contained within said graindrum.

rlhe intermittently-revolving poised graindrum or receptacle comprises llanged heads 30, provided with an intermediate cylindrical body portion 31, said cylindrical body portion being provided with diametricallyopposite openings 32, one of which is adapted to receive and take over the depending feeding or throat portion 2, of the feeding-hopper or trough 1, and the other to discharge the weighed charge when the grain-drum is in its primary normal and discharging positions, respectively, as shown most clearly in Figs. 1, and 7, and Figs. 6, and 9, of the drawings.

T he grain-drum is provided with a central driving-shaft 33, the projecting ends of which are carried by and mounted within the ends of the members of the yoke-lever 28, one end of said driving-shaft 33, being provided with a driving-pulley 34, (see Fig. 2) carrying a belting 35, passing over a suitable pulley (not shown) of the grain-separating-maehine, said belting being adapted to be stretched and revolve said grain-drum when the latter is depressed by the weight of the contained charge of grain, and maintained in operative relationship with said driving-pulley during one-half of one complete revolution of said grain-'drum by the means hereinafter described.

As a means for el'feetually holding the grain-drum in its normal position and insuring its being stopped in proper position in its revolution, as well as e'fl'ectually maintaining the belting 35, in operative :relationship with the driving-pulley 34, during one-half of the revolution of the grain-drum, as above referred to, and preventing the latter from being raised or elevated during said one-half revolution, a disk-plate 36, is concentrieallymounted upon the face-head 30, of the graindrum, forming a peripheral friction-track or way 36, for the friction-roller 26, and provided with diametricallyopposite recessnotches 37, designed to receive, talie over and form a seat or pocket for the friction-roller 26, when the grain-drum has been revolved to its normal position.

When the weight of the grain within the graindrum over-balances the counterweight 29, the drum is moved downwardly stretching the belting 35, on the driving-pulley 34, the recess-notch 37, leaving the friction-roller 26, as shown in Fig. 6, of the drawings, and, as a further means of stretching the belting 35, at the initial movement of the grain-drum, an incline a, is formed at one side of the notches 37, so that at the initial revolving of the grain-drum, the roller 26, will strike the said incline e, and as the grain drum moves the same will be moved downwardly still further the incline a, moves under the roller 26, and the latter mounts on and revolves up the said incline. lt is obvious that as the track or way 36, moves under the roller 26, in the revolution of the grain-drum, the latter cannot be elevated by the counter-weight 2), until the other recess-notch 37, is reached, and that during said half revolution the belting 35, is e'fl'ectually maintained in operative relationship with the driving-pulley 34.

As a means of cutting ol'll any flow of grain through the feeding or inlet-opening of the feeding-trough 1, when the grain-drum is depressed by the weight of the contained grain,

y the disk-plate 36, of the grain-drum, and terand while the drum is being revolved, a vertically-movable bar 3S, is provided and carried by thelgrain-drum, said bar 38, being provided at its lower end with a bearinghead 39, provided with a bearing-opening (see'Fig. 4) taking over a bearing-hub 40, of

minating at its upper end in forked-arms 41, provided with bearing slots 42. The feeding or inlet-opening of the depending throat-portion 2, of the feeding-trough 1, 1s provided with rock-shafts 43, carrying cut-off-valves 44, said rock-.shafts being provided with crank-arms 45, taking into the bearing-slots 42, of the forked-arms 4l, so that when the bar 38, is moved downwardly with the downward movement ofthe grain-drum, the rockshafts 43, will swing the attached valves 44, from the position shown in Figs. 7, 8, and l0,

to the position shown in Figs. 6, and 9, thus cutting off the iiow of'grain whenV the graindrum is in its depressed position, and vice versa.

.As a means of separating the incoming and outgoing charges of grain within the graindrum orv receptacle a pair of grain-chargeseparating-valve-plates 46,l are pivotally-secured to the central driving-shaft 33 by means of hinge-straps 47, and said valveplates 46,v are adapted to have a limited movement within the grain-drum by means of radially-extendingstop-bars 48, arrangedy 1n pairs on each side and separating the plates 46, and in inverted \!-shape, said stop'-` bars 48, being secured tothe inner sides of the heads 30, with the diverging ends thereof at the corners of the diametrically-opposite openings 32, of the grain-drum so that by virtue of the ends of said valve-plates engaging said stop-bars said valve-plates will not be permitted to swing past theedges of the openings 32, butwill straddle the same in inverted V-shape form beneath a charge of grain as shown in Figs. 7, and 9, and will separate the outgoing and incoming charges, following up the outgoing charge as shown most clearly in Fig'. 8, of the drawings;

The registering of the several charges is effected by means of registering dial-disk mechanismmounted in a casing 49, secured to the front member of the poised vyoke-lever 2S, a central disk 50, (see Figs. 3, and 4) being provided with a hub-trunnion b, keyed to the end of the driving-shaft 33, carrying the grain-drum and adapted to revolve therewith. The central disk 50, is provided Awith a peripheral actuating-stud or tooth 51, adapted to engage a tooth of a toothed registering-disk 52, and move the same one registering-space with each revolution, lsaid disk (units) 52, actuating a second registeringdisk (hundreds) 53, on the hub-trunnion 1), and said disk 53, actuating a third registering-disk (thousands) 54, all of said disks operating together in a well known hereof.

vided with a removable casingor gear-cover manner, said registering mechanism not forming the subject matter of the claims The casing 49, is preferably pro- 55, provided with sight-openings 56, as shown in Fig. 6, of the drawings.

It will be observed that the grain-drum is adapted to discharge at each half revolution, moving the unit recording-disk one space with each complete revolution, the present embodiment of the invention showing a graindrum adapted to contain one-half bushel of grain, not including the sector-space formed forms in which it may be made, or all the modes of its use, I declare that what I claim and' desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

l. In a grain-meter, a grain-drum provided with circumferentially-located openings and intermediate swinging valve-plates separating said openings.

2. In a grain-meter, a grain-drum provided with oppositely-disposed openings and pivotally-mounted valve-plates swingingbetween said oppositely-disposed openings.

3. In a grain-meter, a grain-drum provided with oppositely-disposed openings and intermediate swinging valve -plates, and stops for limiting the movements of said valve-plates whereby the same are caused to straddle said openings.

4. In a grain-meter, a grain-drum provided with openings in its cylindrical body portion, and a pair of grain-charge-separating lvalve-plates swinging between said openings.

5. A grain-meter, comprising a feedingtrough, a grain-charge delivery-hopper, an intermediate intermittently-revolving poised grain-drum provided with diametrically-opposite grain-receiving and dischargingv openings, means for poising said drum, valves mounted in said feeding-trough, means for closing said valves when said grain-drum is depressed, means for revolving said graindrum, grain-charge-separating valves mounted within said grain-drum, and means for maintaining said grain-drum in depressed revolving-position when one of said openings of the grain-drum does not register beneath said feeding-trough.

6. A grain-meter, comprising a feedinghopperk provided with a feed-ii'ilet-opening, a delivery-hopper provided with a grainchargek outlet-opening, an intermittently-revolving grain-drum poisedly-mounted and provided with diametrically-opposite grain- .ing said drum, cut-ofi"l valves mounted in said feeding-hopper and provided with means whereby the same are opened and closed when said poised grain-drum is moved to its normal and depressed positions, respectively, means for revolving said grain-drum, and a pair of pivotally-mounted grain-eharge-separating valve-plates each adapted to swing within said. grain-drum between said diametrically-opposite grain-receiving and discharging openings.

7. A grain-meter, comprising a feedinghopper provided with a feed-inlet-opening, a delivery-hopper provided with a graincharge outlet-opening, an intermittently-revolving grain-drum poised between said hoppers and provided with grain-receiving and discharging openings normally registering with said feed-inlet and grain-charge outlet-openings, means for poising said drum, cut-olf valves mounted in said feeding-hopper and provided with means carried by said grain-drum whereby said valves are operated with the rise and fall of said grain-duim.

grain-charge-separating valve-plates pivot-.

ally-mouiited within said grain-drum and each swinging between said grain-receiving and discharging-openings, means for revolving said grain-drum, and means for holding said grain-drum in its depressed position durig its revolution between said feed-inlet and grain-charge outlet-openings.

S. A grain-meter, comprising a feedinghopper provided with a feed-opening, a delivery-hopper provided with an outlet-opening, a grain-drum poised between said hoppers and provided with openings normallyregistering with said feed and outlet openings, means for poising said grain-drum, valves mounted. in said feeding-hopper and provided with means whereby said halves are operated with the rise and fall of said grain-drum, valve-plates carried within said grain-drum and each swinging between said openings of the drum, means for holding said grain-drum in its depressed position during its revolution between said feed and outletopenings, means for revolving said graindrum, and means for stopping and holding the grain drum as against any movement on its axis when said openings are in registry with said feed and outlet openings of the hoppers,respectively,after the discharge of grain from the drum.

9. In a grain-meter, a grain-drum mounted on a driving-shaft and provided with circumferential openings and intermediate radiallyextending swinging valve-plates mounted on said driving-shaft.

10. In a grain meter, the combination with a feeding-hopper, a grain-charge delivery hopper, an intermittently revolving poised grain-drum provided with circumferential openings adapted to simultaneouslyregister with said feeding and delivery hoppers, means for p oising said drum, and swinging valve-plates normally straddling one of said openings; of valves mounted in said feeding-hopper, means carried by said graindrum for opening and closing said valves when the grain drum is movedto its normal and depressed positions, respectively, means for revolving said grain-drum when moved to its depressed position, and means for holding said grain-drum in its depressed position when said openings are not in registry with said feeding and delivery hoppers.

1 l. In a grain-drum, the combination with a feeding-hopper, a delivery-hopper, a poised grain-drum provided with openings adapted to register with said feeding and delivery hoppers, means for poising said drum, and swinging valve-plates normally closing one of said openings, of valves mounted in said feeding-hopper, means for operating said valves when said grain-drum is moved vertieally, means for holding said grain-drum in its depressed position when said openings are not in registry with said feeding and delivery hoppers, and means for preventing said grain-drum from being turned on its axis when in its normal elevated position.

12. In a grain meter, the combination with a poised grain-drum provided with a driving-pulley carrying a belting, means for poising said drum, means for revolving said drum, and a grain-charge delivery-hopper provided at its side with a friction guideroller; of a circular frictiontrack or way formed on the end of said grain-drum and provided with oppositely -disposed recessnotches, said recess-notches being adapted to receive and form a seat for said friction guideroller when said grain-drum is in its normal position and said friction-track taking under said guide-roller when said grain-drum is depressed.

13. In a grain-meter, a feeding-hopper, a grain-charge delivery-hopper, an intermittently-revolving grain-drum provided -with circumferential openings adapted to register with saidfeeding and delivery hoppers, means for revolving said drum, means for poising said drum, swinging valve-plates normally straddling one of said openings, valves mounted in said feeding-hopper, and means carried by said grain-drum for opening and closing said valves when the grain-drum is moved to its normal and depressed positions, respectively.

14. In a grain-meter, the combination with a poised grain-drum, a feeding-hopper, means for poising'said drum, means for revolving said drum, valves mounted in said feeding-hopper, and a delivery-hopper provided with a friction guide-roller; of a friction-track on said grain-drum and provided with recess-notches, said friction-track passing under said guide-roller when said graindrum is depressed and said recess-notches being adapted to Jforni seats for said guideroller whereby said grainedrum may be elevated to its normal position, and means oarried by said grain-drum and connected to said valves whereby the latter are opened and closed by the elevation and depression of said grain-drum.

15. In a grain-meterI the combination with a feeding-hopper, a grain-eharge delivery-hopper, a poised grain-drum provided with openings normally-registering with said hoppers, means for poising said drum, means for revolving said drum, and valveplates swinging between and adapted to straddle said openings of valves mounted in said feeding-hopper, means for maintaining said grain-drum in depressed revolving position when said openings do not register with said hoppers, and means Jfor opening and In testimony whereof I have a'Hixed my p signature, in presence of two witnesses MARTIN ZIMMERMAN.

Witnesses:

G. E. ALLEMAN, C. T. ALLEMAN. 

